Sorghum Diseases in India

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World
Africa
Tanzania
Botswana
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Figure 1. Millet yields (t ha -1 ), 1961-86. Source: FAO tapes,1986 (1988).
losses may have occurred at the household
level, outside of the national marketing
system.
3. Loss of grain and other dry matter occasionally
occurred because of downy mildew
(Sclerospora graminicola) in Malawi, Tanzania,
Zambia, and Zimbabwe, and possibly also in
some other countries of southern Africa.
4. Loss of dry matter as a result of fungal foliar
diseases such as leaf spots (Beniowskia sphaeroidea,
Cochliobolus bicolor, Colletotrichum sp,
Gloeocercospora sp), and rust (Puccinia penicillariae)
did occur regularly.
5. Regular losses of grain due to ergot (Claviceps
sp) and smut (Tolyposporium penicillariae) occurred,
particularly in Malawi, Tanzania,
Zambia, and Zimbabwe, and possibly in
other countries.
6. Loss of grain and other dry matter occurred
regularly because of Striga asiatica in Zimbabwe.
Harvest year
7. Loss of grain quality after infection by grain
molds occurred only rarely, as pearl millet
grain tends to ripen during a dry period.
Pearl Millet Diseases
Seed rots and seedling blight
Information on seed rots and seedling blight is
not available, but stand establishment (emergence
and seedling survival under low moisture
and high temperature stresses) is known to be of
high importance (ICRISAT1988). In the western
areas of Zambia, seedling blight occurred when
the conditions were favorable for infection. The
role of pathogens (including nematodes) in poor
stand establishment requires study.
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